Washing machine construction



G. K. PARSONS WASHING MACHINE CONSTRUCTION Aug. 6, 1940.

Filed April 12, 1937 2 SheetS Sheet 1 1940- Q A K. PARSONS 2,210,095

WASHING MACHINE CONSTRUCTION Filed April 12, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I INVENTOR. GEORGE K. PARSONS Patented Aug. 6, 1940 PATENT oar-"ice 2,210,095 [WASHING MACHINE CONSTRUCTION George, K. Parsons, Detroit, Mich., assignor to Unitor Corporation, Detroit, Mich., a corporation of Michigan Application April 12,1937, Serial No. 136,329

3 Claims.

This invention relates to washing machines, particularly for household use, the present appli cation comprising a continuation-in-part of my previously filed copending application Serial'No.

10,193, filed March 9, 1935,.which has matured into Patent No. 2,076,587, dated April 13, 1937. An important object of the invention is to provide an improved washing machine construction so arranged as to wash efiiciently both dishes and clothing, and so constructed that no dish-washing parts can be contacted by water used. for clothes washing, or vice versa;

Another important object is the provision of an improved washing machine having a novel scrubbing action upon fabrics, and incorporating swingable paddles having ribbed surfaces across which the clothes are wiped during the operation of the machine.

Another important object is the provision of such a machine, the capacity and washing parts of which are adjustable to accommodate different quantities of water and work, in order that washing may be done as efli'ciently in small lots as when the machine is loaded to its intended full capacity.

Still another im-portantobject is the provision of a washing machine incorporating a relativelylarge and bodily movable tub an-d/or washing element, and'incorporating cushioning means in the drive for such member, adapted to render the action of the par-ts veryquiet, and to eliminate the wearing eiTects and shocks due to sudden reversal of direction of the operating parts.

In the drawings; Figure 1 is a sectional elevational view taken substantially diametrically through the upper.

portion of a washing machine incorporating the principles of this invention.

Figure 2 is a horizontal sectionmartly in plan, taken substantially on the line 2-2 of Figure 1 and looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 3 is a'developmentof the cylindrical surface of the upper portion of the drive shaft, showing the relative lengths and arrangements of the keyways for housing the agitator assembly.

Figures 4 and 5 are detailed horizontal sections taken substantially on the lines 4-. and 5-5 respectively of Figure 1' and looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figures 6 and 7 are detailed sections of the swingable agitating vanes and supporting means therefor.

Figure 8 is a view similar to Figure 6 of a somewhat modified construction.

Referring now to the drawings, 20 designatesthe tub of a convertible household machine, adapted to perform washing of both dishes and clothes, and various other household tasks. A cover portion 22 of lesser diameter than the tub is arranged to fit into the tub close to the same, 5

and if desired dishwashing and/or other apparatus (unshcwn) may be arranged to l)e connect-'v able to the drive shaft 25, which projects upwardly through the bottom of i and into the tub with its elongated bearing boss -21 carried-bythe 10 cover of a-transmission casing-28. The transmission casing is centrally mounted beneath the tub. The opening through which the boss and shaft project is sealed by a nut 9 threaded on the .boss 21 together with suitable packing.

The upper end of drive shaft 25 is splined as at 30 to adapt it for connection to devices desired to be driven thereby. In the embodiment illustrated in Figures 1-7 complete. washing apparatus including an inner tub 33 is shown arranged 20 within the outer tub 20 and so connected to the shaft 25 as to lbe drivable thereby, the entire assembly including the inner tub being drivable as aunit. The use of a separate inner clotheswashing tub enables washing of dishes and other 25 articles in the outer tub 20 without allowing the clothes washing water to contact such outer tub.

, The construction of the inner tub 33 appears in Figure 1. As there shown, it is proportioned to fit easily within the outer tub, and sufiicient 30 clearance is left between the latter and the downturned rim 34 of the inner tub to permit convenient handling of such inner tub in inserting the. same in and removing it from the outer tub, for which purpose the rim 3 serves as a handle. Centrally upstanding from the bottom of the inner tub is a tubular supporting portion comprising lower and upper sections 31-39, the former rotatably fitting over the boss 21 and the latter rigidly secured to the lower as by screws 41 and carrying a coupling element 43 adapted to interfit with the splined end of the driving shaft 25 to establish 'a driving connection therewith. The coupling element 43 is vulcanized or otherwise rigidly secured to a soft rubber cushioning sleeve 44, the'periphel'y of which is similarly fastened to a metallic sleeve 46 tightly driven or otherwise vheld in the portion 39. The screws ll which couple the sections 31-39 are also extended through the bottom ofthe tub 33 and the exteriorly positioned plate 45, as well as suitable interposed sealing gaskets which serve to maintain' watertight the space within the sections 31-39, while the screws unite the entire tubular central assembly and the tub. An upward continable agitating assembly whose position with respect to the inner tub is determined by which keyway is engaged by the key portion 55 projecting inwardly from the hub 51 of the agitator. The top 59 ofthe agitator comprises a flat platelike element from which depend swingable agitator paddles or vanes 50. The swingability of the vanes is preferably limited to approximately 90 degrees, and alternate -vanes are arranged to swing in opposite directions. As shown in Figures 1, 6 and 7, a hinge or pivot rod 62 extends longitudinally through the enlarged butt portion 63 carried by the top edge of each vane, said rods being extended radially through hangers as 64 depending from the plate 59 to pivotally support the vanes. The stop means limiting swingability of the vanes is constituted by a partly cylindrical hub section 61 formed at the top of each vane and concentric with the butt. The angular extent of such hub portion limits movement of the vane by engaging the bottomof plate portion 59. Shielding brackets 66 which enclose and provide additional bearings for the hub. pore tions may also act as abutments and aid in holding the vanes in vertical position when the latter are urged thereagainst by the resistance of the water, into which the vanes dip in use. The vanes thus act as feathering paddles .adapted to react against the water and matter suspended therein when urged in one direction, though still bearing downwardly against the water and contents under their own weightwhen moved in the opposite direction. The drive mechanism within the transmission casing 28 is preferably arranged to oscillate the shaft 25 and so the inner tub 33 and power assembly, and it will be apparent that upon each reversal of direction of rotation the surging of the water will, by reason of the reverse swingability of the paddles 60, tend to lift certain thereof toward a horizontal position. The water and articles to .be washed suspended therein tend to pile up against the alternate plates which are thrown to and held in the perpendicular position in response to the surging caused by each reversal, and in passing under the intermediate plates which are lifted by such swinging, the clothes or other articles being washed tend to rub against the corrugations 68 provided on the under side (if the plates for that purpose. As shown in Figures 1, 6 and 7, the portions 66 serve as guards for the hub portions 61 of the vane elements, although it will be appreciated that any catching of the clothes between the swingable parts is rendered impossible by the fact that at such surging the water and articles being washed tend tomove away from these portions.

As shown in Figure 8 the stop and hub section may be modified to provide as at 613 an integral 'partly cylindrical portion of approximately 2'70 degrees rather than ninety degrees, also carried by the top of the vane portion but projecting through and normally lying partly above and partly below the supporting plate 593, while. the portion 563 is arrangedto abut the top of the plate and hold the vane in perpendicular position and arrest swinging movement in one direction while allowing free swingability in the other toward horizontal position. The surface of the ways.

cylindrical hub portion 613 is maintained in substantial sliding contact with the aperture I2 in plate 593 within which the hub portion is 1'0- tatable.

Y The supporting hub portion 51 of the impeller assembly fits loosely over the impeller supporting section 40, and the assembly is locked thereto for movement therewith by engagement. of the key 55 with one of the keyways 5l-,52-53-5l.

As indicated in Figure 1, the entire impeller assembly may be positioned at different heights within the inner tub by selective engagement of such key portion with difierent onesof the key- Hand holes as I4 may be provided in the plate 59 to enable easy lifting and insertion of the impeller assembly, and it will be seen that the plate also serves to limit surging to such degree means above described that the top plate 59 is arranged only slightly above the water level, the paddles thus extending into the water to the greatest possible extent to insure their creating the maximum turbulence and the greatest rubbing contact between the corrugations 68 and the clothes or other suspended articles being washed.

In Figure 1 the impeller assembly is shown *in the lowermost position in full lines, while dotdash lines 16-41 indicate higher positions to which the assembly may be adjusted to accommodate greater quantities of water and so larger washings.

What I claim is: 4

1. In a washing machine construction including a tub and a rotatable shaft projecting thereinto, agitating means securable to said shaft including a support, hinging means carried thereby and disposed substantially radially 'with respect to the shaft, vane members swin'gably depending from said hinging means and free of the tub, and

.means for preventing swinging of said vane members in one direction beyond a substantially perpendicular position.

2. In a washing machine construction including a tube and a rotatable shaft projecting thereinto, agitating means securable to said shaft including a support, hinging means carried thereby and disposed generally radially with respect to the shaft, vane members swingably depending from said hinging means and free of the tub, and means for stopping said vane members in substantially perpendicular position during movement thereof in one direction, the vanes being freely swingable upwardly in the opposite direction.

3. Means as set forth in claim 2 in which said support comprises a plate serving as a cover for water-containing portions of said tub, the vanes when in perpendicular positions acting to substantially separate such water-containing portions into separatesections, whereby to arrest movement of the water in the direction in which said vanes are moved toward perpendicular position, while said plate acts as a further baffle to .prevent unwanted upward surging of the-water when so arrested.

I GEORGE K. PARSONS. 

